Missing Piece
by Parsnip36
Summary: It's the final case of Trials and Tribulations, and Edgeworth wants nothing more than to see Phoenix again, alive. But when Iris enters the picture, the two men's friendship changes forever.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: This story is meant as a continuation of my previous story, "From Phoenix Wright to Miles Edgeworth." The current story begins during the last case of Trials and Tribulations. I would also like to note that the dialogue (as well as all of Miles' thoughts) of this chapter is taken directly from the game. Therefore, this dialogue is property of Capcom and not me. I don't own any characters either, obviously. (I wish!)

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><p>It was the middle of a dark, starless night. Miles didn't know what time it was. All he knew was that he had been jerked out of a blissful dream by the sound of his phone. He didn't remember the details of the dream, only that it was warm, beautiful, and involved a certain defense attorney he had known since his childhood.<p>

For over a year, Miles had been aware of the true nature of his feelings toward the man, but he pushed them out of his mind as often as he could. It was less painful this way. Miles knew that his feelings would never be returned and he had long since had accepted that. But in the middle of the night, Miles lost all control. His dreams brought his affections to the surface of his mind, only to refresh his pain every morning when he awoke.

Wanting nothing more than to get back to his dream, Miles reached to shut the phone off, but a voice in the back of his mind told him to answer it anyway.

_Who could that be at this time of night?_

Miles pressed the "talk" button._  
><em>

"... Yes? Edgeworth speaking..." he greeted groggily.

"Edgey! Get up! It's an emergency!" a voice shouted in his ear. Miles groaned. He recognized that irritating screech, despite the fact that his phone had displayed the caller as 'unknown'.

"... Huh? Larry...? Do you know what time it is?"

Miles did not know the time either, but Larry would be sorry when he found out.

"It's not 'Larry'! It's 'Laurice'! Laurice Deauxnim!" Larry whined from the other end.

_... This is nothing more than a terrible nightmare... I'll just roll over and..._

"W-Wait! Don't hang up! It's an emergency!"

Knowing Larry, Miles felt safe assuming the 'emergency' he was referring to was his latest breakup, he was looking for a shoulder to cry on. Clearly, he was looking in the wrong place.

"It's Nick! H-He... He took a really nasty spill!"

Miles rolled his eyes. Larry could always be trusted to make a big deal over the littlest things. As long as Wright wasn't hurt...

"Well, it wouldn't be the first time, so..."

"I'm not joking! His life is in danger!"

Miles felt as if his heart had just stopped.

"Wh-What...! What happened! Tell me!"

"Talk about a guy with bad luck! He may already be dead! Anyway, you've got to come back! You're the only one that can help! My Iris... My beautiful Iris! She needs help...!"

But Miles hardly heard any of Larry's babbling. He had stopped processing information somewhere around the word 'dead.'

"Alright. I don't know what's going on, but... I'll be there as soon as I can."

"I-I'm at the detention center! Please! Hurryyyyyy!"

Miles shut off the phone.

_It's been one year since I left that country... I thought I wouldn't have to see him again for a while..._

He sighed, thinking of the lawyer whose letters to Miles were stashed in a pile in his nightstand drawer. _  
><em>

_Sounds like it won't be a pretty reunion... As if I expected anything to change._


	2. Chapter 2

_God damn it, Wright, you had better be okay._

Miles was slowly walking down the long hallway of the Hotti clinic, apprehensive of what he might find at the end. He had contacted Larry again to confirm that Wright was not, in fact, dead. Unfortunately, Larry was unable to provide any further details on his condition. All he had was the address and room number of the hospital_. _

The hallways felt like a cruel maze, despite the fact that this was not Miles' first visit to the Hotti clinic.

_The last time I was here, Franziska was shot._ The thought struck him suddenly. He sadly thought back on the events of the previous year.

_I was so worried for my sister, and her wound was not even life threatening. _

_I wish I could say the same for Wright._

He reached the end of the hallway. Phoenix's room was directly in front of him.

Miles took a deep breath and pushed the door open. The room was plain and smelly, much more unpleasant than how he had always imagined a place where Wright would live. A nurse was standing in the corner of the room, holding a clipboard. Phoenix lay lifeless on the bed.

_Wright... is he breathing? !  
><em>

Miles began to hyperventilate before noticing that Phoenix was breathing, although the breaths were raspy and shallow. He was completely motionless; his breathing was only apparent through the unhealthy sound it made. He had bruised, purple bags under his eyes, and there was a gash that had been stitched shut on his scalp. Besides the various bruises on the visible parts of his body, his skin was completely pale.

_If I didn't know better, I would think he was dead already. _

"Excuse me sir, can I help you? Are you a member of this man's family?" The nurse asked.

"I'm a friend. Is he... how is he?" Miles asked, ready to cry.

_Dammit! I can't get emotional now. _

The nurse smiled. "He looks a lot worse than he is, dear. He just had a bit of a fall. They had to stitch up a few areas, but there doesn't seem to be any real damage. He's caught a nasty cold, though. Let's let him sleep it off, dear. You look like you could use some rest yourself."

That was probably true, Miles realized. Larry's call had woken him from his slumber, and he'd spent the rest of the night worrying himself crazy.

"I-Is it alright if I stay here until he wakes up?" Miles asked.

"Sure, that's fine," said the nurse. "I was just checking in on him, I'll be on my way now. You can just let one of us know if either of you needs anything."

"Thank you," Miles said absentmindedly. He sat down on a chair by the bed.

_Wright... I can't believe I haven't seen you in over a year.  
><em>

Miles had spent the past year trying desperately to get over his stupid, irrational feelings toward Phoenix. Every time he thought he was beginning to make progress, he would receive another letter from Phoenix. He would read and reread the letter, and then he would put it with all the others before formulating a response. Unlike his past habits, Miles now found himself unable to ignore the letters.

_You may think you're keeping the 'friendship' alive, Wright, but all you're doing is poisoning my mind. _

_I should have known that avoiding you wouldn't solve anything. _

_I should have known that there's no cure._

_Please, just don't die before I get to talk to you again._

Phoenix's breaths still sounded ghastly. He looked pained and uncomfortable. Miles wondered if he could be having some sort of nightmare. He had a strong urge to hold the sleeping man in his arms for comfort, but he held himself back.

"The nurse said you were fine, Wright. You don't look fine," Miles thought aloud.

Phoenix's eyelids moved in response.

_Oops. Maybe that was too loud._

Phoenix slowly blinked his eyes open, groaning and shifting his weight on the bed. He groggily surveyed his surroundings.

"Wright? Are you awake?"

Phoenix turned his head. "Huh? Edgeworth? What're you doin' here?" he asked, slurring his words together.

"I came to see how you were doing. You fell off a cliff, as I understand it."

"Maya. Where's Maya?" Phoenix asked, his breaths speeding up.

"I don't know, Wright. Larry said that she was missing, but that's all I found out."

Phoenix winced, his eyes full of fear.

"She'll be okay, Wright. She's a strong girl," Miles assured him.

_He risked his life for her, _he realized, feeling a strange twinge of resentment.

"What about Pearl?" Phoenix asked.

"I have heard nothing about the girl, so there is no reason to believe that she is in any danger."

"And... Iris?"

_Iris?_

"Er, I'm sorry. I don't know anyone by that name," said Miles.

"Iris... she was at the crime scene," Phoenix spoke, seemingly more to himself than Miles. "I saw her... did Bikini call the police?"

_Huh? Bikini?_

"Er... I'm not sure what you're talking about, Wright."

"They're going to arrest her. I have to go. She needs help," Phoenix said, pushing himself up on the bed. He winced in pain as he moved his aching body.

"No. Stay where you are. You need to rest," Miles commanded. Phoenix obeyed.

"There's no way she won't be suspected. I saw what happened," Phoenix babbled on.

"I still have no idea what you're talking about. But... you don't need to worry. If anyone gets arrested, the state will appoint her a defense attorney," said Miles.

"No," Phoenix protested. "I have to defend her. Iris isn't guilty. I believe in her."

_Why the hell do you care so much about this 'Iris'_, _Wright? _

Phoenix was staring at Miles with a strange resolve.

"Please... help her..."

"What do you mean?" Miles asked.

Phoenix reached down and grabbed Miles' hand. Miles felt a slight tingle at his touch, but it was quickly replaced by concern.

_Wright, you're burning up._

With his free hand, Phoenix reached over to grab something from the bedside table. He then turned to face Miles, staring fiercely into his eyes.

"I trust you," he said, pressing two small objects into Miles' palm.

Miles examined the objects. One was a green stone with a strange sort of glow. It looked like the sort of thing that Wright's weird assistant would carry around. The other was... his attorney's badge?

"Wright... you can't mean..."

"You can use the magatama to see the secrets in people's hearts.

"What...?" Miles asked, bewildered.

"Please," Phoenix begged. "Just go. Go to the detention center. She's in trouble, Edgeworth. I need your help."

Miles let out a sigh._ Only for you, Wright. _

"Alright. I'll be on my way to the detention center now."

"Thank you," said Phoenix, with his trademarked disarming sincerity. "It's good to see you, Edgeworth," he added as Miles was leaving the room.

"You as well," said Miles, before closing the door of Phoenix's room behind him.

_Iris... I'll help you, whoever you are, but only for Wright's sake. He seems to care about you quite a bit._

_You have no idea how lucky you are.  
><em>


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Thanks for reading! Reviews are always appreciated. :) This chapter is relatively short. I decided to skip to the end of case 3-5 because, well, you already know how the case plays out. If not, spoiler alert! (But you probably shouldn't be reading fanfiction anyway if you don't want to be spoiled!) Anyway. On with the story!

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><p>Phoenix was alone in his apartment, laying lazily on his couch. It had been a week since his most recent trial had ended in his favor. Maya was currently staying in Kurain Village, and was training hard to become the next master. Edgeworth had gone back to Europe to finish whatever business he had. In typical Edgeworth fashion, he had given Phoenix a very brief goodbye before taking off again.<p>

_Well, shit. There's no one left to talk to._

_It would be nice to talk to Maya, but who knows how busy she is right now. I'd call Edgeworth, but I don't want to bug him.  
><em>

_I suppose I could call Larry..._

_Nah, I'm not that desperate. _

Just as Phoenix was about to go to bed early from sheer boredom, his cell phone rang. He opened it to see an unfamiliar number on the screen.

"Hello?" he greeted.

"Um, hello, Phoenix," said a soft, shy, feminine voice.

"I-Iris?"

The voice giggled softly. "Yes, Feenie, it's me."

"Is anything wrong? Do you need my help?" he asked. Iris was still being held at the detention center until her impending trial.

"No, no! Nothing's wrong at all. I just... I need to talk to you about something," she replied.

"Do you want me to come over to see you?"

"No... actually, um... the thing is... I need a place to stay." Iris said nervously. "I don't really know anyone else in town..."

"You... need a place to stay? Aren't you still being held at the detention center?" he asked bluntly.

"Actually... I'm not. My trial was postponed until a week from today, and someone posted bail for me," she explained.

"Huh? Who was it?"

"It was that sweet man who helped me, I believe his name was Mr. Edgeworth."

_Edgeworth? _

_I thought he despised all criminals. Why would he do something like that for Iris?_

"Wow... that was really kind of him. Did he say anything to you?" Phoenix wondered.

"He didn't say anything, but he did leave a note," said Iris.

Phoenix blinked. "Okay... well, I have plenty of room around here, so it's no problem if you want to stay here. Do you need me to pick you up?"

"No, no. He gave me your address as well. I'll find the building. Thank you so much, Feenie. For everything."

Iris hung up the phone. Phoenix stared at his cell phone.

_After all this time... Iris is coming _here.

Nervousness set in immediately.

_This place is a dump... what will she think? Arrgh..._

Phoenix pressed his face shamefully into his palm before making a desperate effort to clean up his messy apartment.

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><p>After twenty minutes of fruitless tidying, the doorbell finally rang. Phoenix jogged over to answer it.<p>

"Hey, Feenie."

Iris was standing in the doorway, breathtaking as ever. She was dressed in dirty channeling robes, which Phoenix assumed were the same robes she had been wearing since she had first been arrested. Her short time in detention had diminished her somewhat; her already slim figure now threatened to become severely underweight. Her presence was diminished as well; she now acted as if she would prefer to shrink against a wall than carry on a conversation. But her face still shone with the beauty Phoenix remembered from five years ago.

"Iris... it's good to see you. Come in!" he said, beckoning her inside.

"Thank you so much for letting me stay here. You are very kind, and you have a lovely home," she said politely.

"Aw, you're just saying that," Phoenix chuckled. "Come on. I have a guest room over here, and I think Maya left some of her clothes behind. I'm sure she wouldn't mind if you borrowed them. Can I get you anything to eat or drink?" he offered.

"Actually... would you mind if I took a brief shower?" she asked, blushing slightly.

"Not at all," said Phoenix, leading her to the bathroom. "Anything you need, don't be afraid to ask," he assured her as he verified that there were clean towels.

"Thank you," she repeated. "Um... when Mr. Edgeworth came to bail me out, he gave me this note. He wanted you to have it. I haven't read it." She handed him a folded piece of stationery.

"Oh... thanks," said Phoenix, accepting the note. He opened it as Iris disappeared into his bathroom.

_Wright-_

_I know that you were unhappy to learn of Iris's involvement in the crime. I believe that her trial will result in a guilty verdict, no matter how high the skill of her defense attorney. If you are wise, you will spend the remainder of her free time together. I hope that you are able to find happiness. _

_M. Edgeworth_

Phoenix read the note again.

_Edgeworth... you pulled some strings to get her trial postponed, didn't you?_

_Thank you, Edgeworth.  
><em>

_I only hope that someday I can return the favor. _


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Thanks for reading! I would like to take this opportunity to plug my previous story, "From Phoenix Wright to Miles Edgeworth." This chapter will make a lot more sense if you've read it already.

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><p><em>I wonder what Iris's favorite foods are? <em>

Phoenix was sitting on his bed, browsing a cookbook website on his laptop. After another worthless day at the office, he had come up with the brilliant idea of cooking dinner for his houseguest.

_It'll be a real date... just like we use to have in college..._

_If she still feels that way about me, that is. _

Phoenix slammed his laptop shut in frustration._  
><em>

_Oh yeah. I forgot that I can't cook worth a damn. _

Phoenix rubbed his eye with the palm of his hand and considered his options.

_I suppose we could go out to eat together..._

Immediately deciding that his newest plan was completely brilliant, Phoenix rushed off to find Iris. He knocked on the door of the guest room.

Iris opened it. "Yes, Phoenix?" she greeted him. She was wearing a channeling robe that could only belong to Maya Fey.

"Hey, I'm sorry I left you alone all day. It's not like I even got anything done at work..."

"Oh no, it's fine. I was reading a fascinating book," she said.

"So... would you like to go out for dinner tonight?" he asked nervously.

Iris blushed. "Yes... I would like that very much. Um... where would you like to go?"

"Um..."

_Shit. I didn't think that far ahead._

_Gaaah... I don't know any restaurants... I only ever go out for burgers with Maya!  
><em>

_What was the name of that restaurant I went to with Edgeworth? 'Bells'? I think I remember liking it..._

"I know a place," he said, putting on an air of confidence. "It's called 'Bells.' They have really good pasta."

"That sounds lovely."

"All right, let's go. We should hurry, though- the bus leaves at 6:00."

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><p>After narrowly making the bus, the pair finally arrived at the familiar restaurant.<p>

"Hey there," the hostess greeted. "Just the two of you?"

"Yes," Phoenix confirmed. "I was wondering... are there any seats available upstairs?"

_I want to show Iris the view... even if I don't like it, I'm sure she'll think it's beautiful._

The hostess nodded. "If you'll just follow me..." she led them up the stairs. To Phoenix's pleasant surprise, she led them to a familiar table in the corner at which he had once sat with Edgeworth... had it really been a year since then?

"The view... it's so beautiful!" she gushed.

_Eugh... I guess I'm still a little squeamish of heights. _

"Yes, it's gorgeous," said Phoenix.

_Ahhh... so what now? _

_I think I exhausted all my small talk on the bus ride here..._

"Hey, my name's Jamie, and I'll be your waitress for today," interrupted a chipper female voice. Phoenix quickly ordered the same pasta dish he had ordered the last time he had come.

"I'll have the same thing he's having," said Iris. "I trust your judgment, Phoenix_._" She smiled at him sweetly. Phoenix returned a nervous grin.

A few minutes passed in awkward silence. Phoenix desperately reached for something to say to the girl.

_This doesn't feel right._

The thought suddenly struck his mind. He quickly dispelled it; surely the two of them just needed to readjust to each other's company... yes, that was definitely the case. But they didn't seem to be making any progress towards this goal as four more minutes passed in silence. Iris seemed transfixed by the view of the city.

"All right!" A voice from behind Phoenix startled him. Jamie had returned, and she set their plates of pasta down in front of them.

Phoenix lifted his water glass towards Iris. "To you, Iris. May you get to remain free after next week." Iris forced a smile and lifted her glass in response.

_Oh God, I'm such an idiot. Why did I bring that up?_

"Eh... I'm sorry," he said. "Let's dig in!"

His pasta was somewhat bland at first, but it had a spicy kick that Phoenix wasn't sure he liked.

"How's your pasta?" he asked his date.

"Oh, it's lovely," she said sweetly.

_I wonder if she's being honest._

_Mine tastes sort of like a bad smell. Does that even make sense?_

_And _why_ do we have nothing to say to each other?  
><em>

"So... how was your day?" he asked desperately

"It was nice and relaxing," she replied. "I read a novel."

_Oh yeah, she told me that already, didn't she?_

_Eugh, I don't think I can eat any more of this pasta. _

Phoenix set his fork down, having finished about half of his dish. The pair occupied the next several minutes with awkward small talk. Iris began to give a small lecture on the last book she read, and Phoenix had to resort to feigning interest.

"It's getting late. We should get going soon if we want to make the next bus," Phoenix noted as Iris's speech drew to a close. Phoenix left some cash on the table, and the two made their way back to the bus stop, hand in hand.

_It's strange... I remember enjoying myself at that restaurant a lot more than I just did. _

He let out a sigh.

_Iris... we only have one week left together. I have to find a way to make the most of it.__  
><em>


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Sorry about the long wait, guys! I haven't had as much free time since school started up again. I'm planning for this to be the penultimate chapter, but sequels will definitely ensue!

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><p>Four days after Phoenix had taken Iris out for dinner, he found himself wasting time at the office once again.<p>

_It's Wednesday, _he realized. _We only have three days left._

_Three days to pick up all the pieces of what we used to have and put them back together again._

He began to swivel himself around in his chair, hoping desperately for some prospective client to give him a call.

_I can't screw this up with her. Dating Dahlia- I mean Iris- was the only meaningful relationship I ever had. _

_And after what Edgeworth did to help me get that back... I can't let him down._

Stiff with boredom, he began drumming his fingertips on his desktop.

_Maybe I should write to him... except he didn't leave a forwarding address. _

_I suppose I could just text him, but that seems so... impersonal._

_I miss him. I hope he comes back soon. _

_Argh, what am I doing? I need to be focusing on how to fix the situation with Iris! I still love her... don't I?_

Phoenix rubbed his forehead with his palm as he pictured the beautiful girl.

_I don't have time for this- she only has three days left. She deserves better._

Feeling somehow adventurous, Phoenix made a quick decision: he would cook dinner for her that night, and it would be amazing. A smile formed on his lips as he pictured them together, on the perfect date that they never had.

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><p>It didn't take long for Phoenix to regret his decision. He had spent the last four hours attempting to put together what he thought would be a simple meal: spaghetti and meatballs with garlic bread. Unfortunately, he had finished the bread twenty minutes before anything else. It ended up cool and somewhat stale by the time they finally sat down.<p>

Phoenix raised his glass of wine towards Iris.

"To you," he said simply. Iris smiled and raised hers in response. They drank.

Phoenix took a bite of his garlic bread. It was somewhat tough to bite into.

_Ack... I put WAAAAY too much garlic on this. _

Fortunately for him, he had not managed to ruin the spaghetti. The sauce was rather watery, but it tasted fine all the same.

_I can almost cook!_

_I bet Edgeworth would be so proud of me. I should invite him over for dinner sometime, if he comes back soon. I wonder if he likes spaghetti...  
><em>

_Wait, why am I thinking about him AGAIN? I need to fix things with Iris._

_But how the hell am I supposed to put something back together when it feels like there's a piece missing?_

"The spaghetti tastes wonderful, Phoenix," Iris interrupted his thoughts. Phoenix returned a weak smile.

"Thanks... I don't cook very often, so I thought I'd try something new."

Iris continued smiling, but Phoenix noticed that she was taking small bites and avoiding the garlic bread completely. The silence between them was beginning to feel somewhat awkward, which Iris clearly noticed.

"How is work?" she asked. "Do you have any interesting new cases?"

"No, nothing new," he answered. "I haven't had any clients come in lately. Maya is usually the one who motivates me to seek these things out for myself. I can hardly get anything done without her," he laughed.

Another awkward silence.

_Great... this date was supposed to be _perfect._ No awkward silences. I was supposed to fix everything I did wrong the first time..._

A few more minutes passed, and they both finished their meals.

"Thank you for dinner, everything was lovely," she gushed.

"Oh, it's no problem," Phoenix replied.

_Now what?_

"Would you like to watch a movie with me? Maya left a bunch of DVDs here, and I'm sure I can find something that isn't Steel Samurai related," he suggested.

"Sure," Iris agreed. She gracefully followed Phoenix over to the couch and sat down.

Phoenix found a DVD that looked like some sort of romantic comedy; a couple was embracing on the front cover.

"I haven't seen this one," he said, popping it into the DVD player. He plopped himself down on the couch next to the frail girl. He laid back, putting his left arm around her shoulders. Iris blushed slightly and leaned in closer to him.

The movie was insipid. Phoenix thought so, at least. Iris laughed politely in a few places despite the lack of humor in the dialogue.

_I hope she's enjoying herself. _

Phoenix closed his eyes. He tried to imagine a perfect date.

_There would have to be good food, of course. And we would have plenty to talk about and laugh about together. _

He imagined being there, on his couch in his apartment. He imagined sitting and watching a movie, not caring whether or not it was any good. He imagined being able to simply sit with someone, not needing to say a word. He imagined a strong hand entwined in his: the hand of an intimate friend. His own right hand clenched subconsciously.

The thought struck him that he did not know anything about the person he had just imagined, only that it was someone already close to his heart. But of one thing, he was certain: the person wasn't Iris.

He relaxed the arm that was holding her close to him, draping it lazily over her shoulder.

_I'm sorry, Iris. I really loved you._


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Thank you all for sticking with me this long! This is the final chapter. I'm a sequel whore, so keep your eyes peeled for a continuation.

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><p>"The court finds the defendant, Iris Hawthorne... guilty."<p>

The gavel's sharp slam echoed throughout the courtroom. Judgement had been passed. Iris was guilty. It was all over.

For the first time since he had first earned his badge, Phoenix had spent the trial sitting in the audience. Iris had insisted on being represented by a state-appointed attorney; there was no reason for Phoenix to lose more face from this case than he already had.

Iris had remained silent since the moment she had uttered her plea: guilty. She looked down at her feet as the judge read her sentence: ten years in prison. As the bailiff led her away in handcuffs, Phoenix saw her expressionless face turn toward him. She gave a soft, sweet smile, but there was no compassion behind it. He returned a simple wave.

_Goodbye, Iris. _

He silently followed the crowd as they filed out of the courtroom. He put his hands in his pockets, feeling strangely guilty about the way the week had ended.

_I wonder if I should have tried harder. Would it have made any difference? _

The heaviness around his heart felt strange to him. He didn't owe anything more to either Iris or himself. He had known that there could never be a happy ending for the two of them; she would be convicted no matter what. He had been tempted to take her case and try for an acquittal, but he knew that it was not an option.

If he had gotten Iris acquitted, he would be letting down the very person who helped her out in the first place.

_I hope I didn't let him down, _Phoenix thought, realizing the reason for his guilt.

_I miss him so much..._

_He wanted me to be happy... so why does it bother me so much that he wants me to be happy with Iris?_

Phoenix thought back to his earlier daydream as he walked. He imagined the scene of him cuddling against someone on his couch- someone he loved more than anyone else.

_Edgeworth... I want to be with **you**. As more than friends.  
><em>

He imagined himself and Edgeworth together on the couch. Neither man needed to say a word. Simply having each other there was enough. It didn't matter if the movie was boring or the food was terrible or if anyone gave them a hard time: he was too happy to care.

His fingers clenched as he imagined walking hand in hand with Edgeworth out of the courtroom.

Phoenix began walking back to his office, lost in his fantasy, still not having completely absorbed his revelation.

* * *

><p>Phoenix slumped back in his office chair, staring at the piece of stationery on his desk. He ran his ink-stained fingers through his hair absentmindedly as he read over his letter.<p>

_Dear Edgeworth,_

_I'm not really sure how to begin this letter, even though I have so much I want to say to you. This entire week has been really distressing, and I'm probably not in the best frame of mind to be writing this right now. _

_I don't know where you are, what you're doing, or when you're going to be back. I hope it's soon. I know, it's only been a couple of weeks since you left. It feels like an eternity. _

_Thank you for letting Iris have one last week with me. As short as it was, I know the time meant a lot to her. It meant a lot to me as well that you were willing to do that for us- I know how you feel about criminals. _

_In the end, I was wasting my time. I have spent the last week trying to revive something that died five years ago, and it's been mentally exhausting. I'm sorry, Edgeworth. I really appreciate what you did- the two of us just weren't meant to be. _

A splotch of ink stained the paper under this sentence. Phoenix remembered digging his pen into the stationery as he struggled to find the right words.

_I've realized that there's someone else I'd rather be with. I'm in love with you, Edgeworth. I know you won't return my feelings, but I had to say it, or write it, or whatever. I had to get it out. _

_I hope to see you again soon._

_Sincerely,_

_Phoenix Wright._

Phoenix closed his eyes.

_There's no way I can actually send this to him. If he knew how I felt... he'd think even less of me than he already does.  
><em>

He laughed at the words he had haphazardly spilled out onto the paper. He reached into the drawer to his right, pulled out a plain envelope, and stuffed the letter inside. He picked up his fancy pen once more.

"From Phoenix Wright to Miles Edgeworth," he labeled the envelope.

He reopened the drawer and began removing all of his supplies. Phoenix took out his stationery, envelopes, paper clips, and anything else that was in his way. Carefully, he laid the letter down on the bottom of the drawer. Letting out a sad sigh, Phoenix slowly replaced his supplies. He made sure to cover the envelope completely, not that it mattered anymore. After all, Maya was gone. Everyone was gone. 

Phoenix noticed that it had begun to rain as he prepared to lock up the office and leave.

_How appropriate._

Miraculously, someone had left an umbrella by the door for such an occasion. It was probably Maya's, he realized, because he did not recognize it. He put on his coat, opened the umbrella, and stepped out into the rain.

_Come back soon, Edgeworth._


End file.
